Preperations For An Ending
by JetNoir
Summary: When a mysterious wave of deaths begin to sweep through the Middle East, Dr Sid finds himself preparing for the end.


**Note:** It's been well over a year since I last wrote for this fandom - one of my favourites - and I am tremendously sorry for being away so long. I recently re-watched the film, and in a way, rediscovered my love of it. I sort of left my New Beginnings series unfinished, so I would like to re-write the first chapter of part five, and I have some ideas for more 'Evil of' fics (which I adore writing), though I don't know about Fish Happens. I may have out-weirded (is that a word?) myself. Back to this story I have always been fascinated by Sid and Hee's relationship, and I always wondered if there was more to it - perhaps when the Leonid Meteor struck. So, I hope you enjoy, and as always, please review.

**Additional Note:** I owe a large debt of gratitude to Ovo, whose translation of the official Spirits Within timeline I have used. Any mistakes in this story are entirely mine.

**PREPARATIONS FOR AN ENDING**

**a Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within fanfic by JetNoir**

DECEMBER 2030 - NEW YORK CITY

"Damn. Damn. Damn!"

Dr Sid was not having a particularly good morning. Weaving through the heavy traffic, he dodged some of this new-fangled hover vehicles, and the more conventional four wheeled variety.

"You have no consideration for the average pedestrian!" he yelled at the shining metal passing vehicles; then sighing, and swallowing his anger, he headed up the steps to his destination, the main government laboratory.

--

Moving into his office, he ensconced himself, and poured a long glass of water. Sipping it slowly, he swivelled his chair, and looked out towards the beautiful skyline. The sun shone down, refracting off the towering skyscrapers, and Sid smiled to himself. He loved living here - though he did take some exception to the traffic.

He turned back to his desk, took another sip of water, and took out a small book. With a heavy pen, he started to write.

--

Sid always found getting his thoughts onto paper to be immensely therapeutic, and three hours later, he was still at it. He had only bought this book a few days ago…when he had first heard of a theory called Gaia - about the spirit of the Earth. Ever since he had wondered if it was true, and couldn't get it out of his mind. So he wrote, and wrote, unscrambling his thoughts in a hope to gain an insight.

"I hoped I'd find you here."

Sid looked up and smiled:

"Hello, Hee."

"Hi," she grinned, "what are you working on?"

"You should know," Sid said, "you introduced me to it. The Gaia theory."

"Ah. Any joy?"

"Just thoughts. But it's nice to see them before me." Sid ran a hand through his neatly trimmed beard; "So what brings you to my door? It's lovely to see you."

"I was wondering if you'd like some lunch. It is a rather chill day."

"All the wonders of modern technology," sighed Sid, "and we can't invent warm winters."

"I happen to like the cold! It reminds us to appreciate the warmth. And you haven't answered my question!"

"I'd love to," said Sid, getting up, and kissing her gently on the cheek.

"And you should really consider shaving off that beard," Hee muttered under her breath, as she walked out the door, Sid following her.

--

The small restaurant was, well, cosy to put it mildly; but Sid and Hee didn't mind a bit.

"You do realise you're not going to get very far with the Gaia theory, don't you."

"Well," said Sid, looking across the table, and wetting his lips with the house wine, "yes. Not unless we dig deep into the planet, and find a mass of seething purple energy. Yet, according to the theory, that would damage it further. So it's sort of a vicious circle…but there are many merits."

"Indeed. Are you working on anything else?"

"The usual government stuff. Gaia is a nice way to clear my head…it's all a little boring really. Science should be filled with wonder. This…well, isn't. I'm terribly afraid they are going to try and find ways to kill any possible alien invaders next."

"Stranger things have happened. The U.S. Government is becoming increasingly militaristic, and paranoia is at an all time high. What with U.F.O. sightings being at a record level, I wonder if there gaze might next point at the stars."

"I shudder to think," said Sid, "and how is life in the paranoid government."

"Again, the same. Just look at us! We're in our mid-thirties! When we started out, we were going to conquer the world with out genius. We've become the people we used to ridicule!"

"Oh, radical talk!"

"Now I know you're teasing me."

"Well, maybe just a little. You were asking for it."

"But I'm right. I know I'm right."

"Yep. But not much we can do about it. We have become cogs in the well-oiled machine."

"Do we like it that way?" asked Hee.

Dr Sid didn't answer, for at that moment, he was interrupted by the waiter. He and Hee ordered, and the conversation turned to other topics.

Both people thoroughly enjoyed their meal, but what neither was to know, was that they wouldn't meet again for another three years. And when they did, the world would be forever changed - for the worse.

--

FEBRUARY 2031 - THE MIDDLE EAST

Astronomers had gathered from all around the globe, to witness the annual Leonid Meteor shower. Once each year the sky would explode with falling stars…well, great lumps of rock and ice, but it sounds far less poetic. The truth isn't always beautiful; but sometimes there is comfort in looking at the world with eyes unclouded. That was the beauty - and sometimes peril - of science.

Alexander King had been coming for twenty years to the annual event, and after setting up his tripod from his hover-car, he was happy to sit back for a little while. The sun was setting in the western sky, aflame with red and gold, casting beautiful colours on the faces of the assembled persons. But before long, purple began to creep into the sky, and then darkness fell.

The meteor shower started in earnest (in truth it had been going on for several hours, but the sun's rays had blocked out many of the fragments), and there were many whoops of joy, and the sound of laughter.

It was about five hours later, that something odd happened. It was close to one in the morning, and Alexander looked up.

"What the devil's that?" he yelled in his Australian accent, "It's _huge_!"

The other astronomers looked upwards, but with their own eyes, to the south. There was a light in the sky, a fiery orange, brighter than any they had ever seen. Two astronomers were unable to look away in time, and howled as their corneas burned out, blinding them.

When it was completely overhead Alexander couldn't resist looking again.

Alexander King saw the most beautiful sight of his entire life, before he died, two and a half seconds later.

The Leonid Meteor, as it came to be known, had arrived.

--

THE SAME DAY

_Except from BBC News, broadcast at 0600 hours_

"_A tragedy has befallen thirty astronomers who had gathered for the annual Leonid Meteor shower. Early this morning, investigators believe they were crushed by a meteor, size unknown, which landed on them. Shockwaves were felt all over the globe, but beyond local disturbances which are still ongoing, it seems that the world at large has been unaffected. Quite how a meteorite was able to pass through the Earth's atmosphere without burning up, and remaining undetected, is still unknown, but shaken scientists are racing to answer this puzzling dilemma. The families of the deceased have been informed, and we can reveal the names of the casualties as: Alexander King…"_

--

MARCH 2031 - THE MIDDLE EAST

It was a quiet day in an unknown town. It's residents were simply going about their business; school, a trip to the market, going to work. It was such an _ordinary _day.

It begun on the outskirts as a young man simply fell to the floor, and a blue light escaped towards the sky, but dissipating before it had travelled more than a few meters.

Authorities had discovered the entire town, dead, two days later. There was no fear on the faces of the people, no weapon marks, or anything to indicate it was anything but natural death. Quite how the whole town died instantaneously of instant death was unknown. But then it happened in the next town over, and so on. Within a fortnight a million people were dead, and no-one knew why. The only guess was a new and deadly virus, but no trace was found.

The authorities wouldn't blame the deaths on spirits of dead aliens until another eight years had passed.

The end of the world had begun.

**To Be Continued…**

**Note:** In the next chapter we'll be heading back to New York, and Dr Sid's efforts to uncover the mystery. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, and please review.

**Disclaimer:** Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within is copyright to Square Pictures; and the story (plus original characters) to me. This story has been written on the understanding that you may read it and print it out; but you may not pass it off as your own, hire it out, or sell it for money. You also may not put it on your own or any other web page (that includes links) without my express written permission. Thankyou!

**JetNoir**


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